Safety-envelop.



J. S. HORTON, DEGD.

0. B. HORTON, EXEOUTBIX.

SAFETY ENVELOP.

APPLIOATIOR FILED IAB.11, 1908.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

12 J] J? -11 J UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN S. HORTON, OF EDGERTON, OHIO; ORRILLA E. HORTON, EXEOUTRIX OF SAID JOHN S.

HORTON, DECEASED, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO E, P. COMPANY, OF EDGERTON, OHIO.

SAFE 'lY-ENVELOP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN S. HORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edger-ton, in the county of Villiams and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Safety-Envelop, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety envelops.

The object of the invention is, in a novel and thoroughly practical manner, to prevent surreptitious opening of an envelop without certainty of detection, and to secure this result by simple, easily provided, and self contained means.

l/Vith the above and other objects in view, as Will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists, generally stated, in a safety envelop having its bottom and two end flaps each provided with a slot, the three slots being in register when the parts of the envelop are assembled, a guard flap carried by one of the end. flaps and interposed between the latter llap and the body of the envelop, and a sealing flap having a safety tab to project through the series of slots and to be secured to the guard flap.

The invention consists, further, in certain novel details of construction of a safety envelop, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a view in plan of the blank from which the envelop is made. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, displaying the parts of the envelop partly folded. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through an envelop constructed from the blank shown in Fig. 1, and displaying the position of the parts when the envelop is sealed.

The envelop comprises a body 1, two end flaps 2 and 3, a bottom flap 4, and a sealing flap 5. The two end flaps are, as shown, approximately triangular in contour, and each is provided with a longitudinally slotted tab 6 and 7, respectively. The slots 8 and 9 of the tabs extend some distance into the flaps and are designed to be engaged by a safety or detector tab 10 carried by the sealing flap 5, which latter may be of any preferred contour. The end flap 2, in this instance, has extending from the side opposite that carry- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. March 11, 1908.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

Serial No. 420,460.

ing the tab 6 a guard flap 11, which is provided with a curvilinear extension 12, that is adapted to underlie the tab 6, when the envelop is folded, and to be attached to the innor face of the tab to within a short distance of the slot 8 by a suitable adhesive, indicated at 13, that portion of the Ilap immediately under and extending beyond the tab being disconnected from the latter.

The flap 4 is provided with a slot 14 that is designed to register with the slots 8 and 9, thus to permit the tab 10 to project through all three of the slots and to be secured to the extension 12 by a suitable adhesive, indicated at 15. The tab 10 is provided with a lateral extension 16 forming a crotch 17 that is designed to interlock with the like end wall of the three slots 8, 9 and 14, and thereby prevent the disconnection of the tab 10 from the extension 12.

Each of the laps 4 and 5 is provided with a suitable adhesive, indicated at .18 and 12'), and by which the former is secured to the flaps 2 and 3;} and the latter to the flap 4.

In assembling the envelop for use, the guard flap is first turned down to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and is secured to the outer end portion of the flap 2 by the adhesive 13 which, as stated, ter1ni-' nates short of the slot 8. The flap 2 is then folded over upon the body, the flap 3 over upon the flap 2, and the flap 4 over upon the flaps 2 and 3, care being observed to cause the slots 8, 9 and 14 to register, and the adhesive 18 011 the flap 4 will secure the proper assemblage of the three flaps.

In the use of the device, the adhesive 19 on the sealing flap 5 and safety tab 10 is moistened in any preferred manner, and the flap is then folded over upon the flaps 2, 3 and 4. The safety tab is then inserted through the series of slots 8, 9 and 14, and the crotch 17 is caused to interlock with the like end wall of all three of the slots, and upon pressure being applied to the flap 5, the tab 10 will adhere to the outer face of the guard flap 11 and thus securely seal the envelop.

Inasmuch as the tab 10 will be disposed within the envelop, any attempt to loosen or detach it from the guard flap, as by steaming, will prove futile, so that to open the envelop, surreptitiously, would necessitate the tearing orcutting oil of thetab 10, and this would be ocular and positive proof that an attempt had been made, or had been carried out, to open the envelop.

It Will be seen from the foregoing description that although the improvements herein defined are simple in character, that they Will be thoroughly effective in securing the objects sought, and may be carried into effect Without adding materially to the cost of the envelop.

I claim A safety envelop having its two end flaps each provided With a longitudinally slotted tab, the slots of which are disposed in alinement and its bottom flap provided With a slot disposed on a line parallel with that of the slots of the tabs and being arranged to register With the slots when the parts of the envelop are assembled, a guard flap projecting laterally from one of the end flaps and having a curvilinear extension adapted,

when the fiap is folded beneath the end fiap that carries it to project beyond the slotted tab thereof and to be interposed between the said. slotted tab and the body of the envelop, the said extension being attached to the inner face of the tab from its fold line to Within a short distance of the slot, and a sealing flap having a laterally-projecting safety tab to project through the series of slots and to be secured to the guard flap and forming in conjunction With the edge of the sealing flap a crotch arranged to interlock with the like end Wall of the three slots.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOHN S. HORTON.

ld itnesses WM. SoHLAeEL, SAMUEL FRITZ. 

